Pieces of a Woman

Kornél Mundruczó’s North American debut, Pieces of a Woman follows a couple (Vanessa Kirby’s Martha and Shia LaBeouf’s Shawn) as they attempt to put their lives (and their relationship) back together after a tragic event. It’s a somewhat familiar setup that’s employed to often spellbinding effect by Mundruczó, as the filmmaker, working from Kata Wéber’s script, has infused the proceedings with an intensity and propulsiveness that generally proves impossible to resist – with the movie’s centerpiece undoubtedly a jaw-dropping pre-credits sequence that unfolds mostly in a single shot and just grows more and more captivating as it progresses. The unexpected power of this opening admittedly does ensure that the movie’s midsection can’t help but feel a little anticlimactic in spots, and yet it’s equally clear that Mundruczó’s stylish, compelling direction and the uniformly stellar performances effectively sustain the picture’s predominantly captivating atmosphere – with Kirby and LaBeouf’s often mesmerizing work here matched by a top-notch periphery cast that includes Molly Parker and Ellen Burstyn. (The latter, cast as Martha’s imperious mother, delivers a late-in-the-game speech that’s nothing short of hypnotic and heartbreaking.) By the time the emotionally-draining and completely satisfying third act rolls around, Pieces of a Woman has certainly cemented its place as a phenomenally accomplished endeavor that’s as exhausting as it is rewarding.

**** out of ****